Starkville Regional: Greg Goff

Opening Statement…
“It is a privilege to be here. We are honored to have the opportunity to get our program into the postseason because it has been a while. We are excited to be in such a fantastic facility that Mississippi State has. They are a great host. They have a tremendous, traditional program. We are very fortunate to be in with the other three teams in this regional.”

On ending the postseason drought at LA Tech …
“When I took over two years ago, I knew how much coach (Pat) Patterson, the legendary coach that was there, had done. He has brought that program to the national level and had so many wonderful years. I knew when I went on campus that they still had that energy and passion. I felt like if we could get some wins under us, we could do some things. It has been tremendous. One of the most prideful things I have done as a coach is be a part of this program. The numbers and people that came to watch us play continued to grow as the players continued to win. We have been very blessed. I feel fortunate to have this group of guys that got us over the hump.”

On Chase Lunceford’s success …
“He (Chase Lunceford) is so good because he doesn’t think very much. He is one of those hitters. It is amazing what he has done, especially the last part of the year. He has really carried us. It took me a while to figure out where he needed to be, but we moved him to the four-hole and he has settled in as a hitter. He is a tremendous threat for us. He is a really confident kid. When he steps in the box, you can tell our team and everybody there is waiting for something to happen. He has been electric. He has been our go-to guy. I am really proud of Chace (Lunceford) and what he has done. He has been a big time player for us.”

On performing on a bigger stage …
“Our guys don’t care where we are. I don’t know if we are smart enough to realize how big of a stage this really is, which is great. Our guys are awesome and very humble, but they are also very hungry. I don’t think where we are really bothers them, they just want to play baseball. They want to continue to try to live out this dream season that we have had so far. I am ready to unleash them and let them go on Friday night.”

On facing Cal State Fullerton …
“I was pretty confident until I saw Fullerton’s era. They say good pitching stops good hitting. We have been real hot and have faced some really good arms. We are going to have to have a really good approach facing Fullerton. They have a really good staff and a lot of depth. They have a lot of options. The field is a lot bigger here than it was in Hattiesburg. We are going to have to get back to being hard on top and using the gaps more. We are going to have to work hard on not lifting the ball as much as we did last week.”

On having Jake Wells on staff …
“When I got the job at LA Tech, he was the first guy I wanted to hire. He is a tremendous coach with a lot of energy. You see what our offense is doing today because of him. He grew a lot in those two years in Starkville. When I got him, he was so much better than when he played for me. He grew as a coach. He gives us a lot of confidence and our guys know that he has been here in this setting. He was here when Mississippi State made it to Omaha, so that gives our guys confidence. He has been a vital part of what we have been doing to get our guys ready to go.”

On his emotions heading into the regional …
“I got so emotional this past weekend as we got done practicing on our field for the last time. I can’t say enough about what these guys have done for our program, university and me as a coach. These guys have taken our program to a different level. I never imagined they could after year one and two. I am forever grateful for what they have done and they’re great kids. They are relentless and don’t quit. They play hard and have been a joy for me. I really appreciate what they have done, because they have changed my life forever.”

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I have covered Mississippi State in some capacity since 2004 and joined the Daily Journal staff in 2013. I enjoy short walks on the beach, performing concerts in my car and watching professional wrestling.